


Silver Eyes, Tainted Heart

by Winterkissed_Jasmine



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/M, i'm trash and i know it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-29
Updated: 2016-01-10
Packaged: 2018-05-10 03:22:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5568979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Winterkissed_Jasmine/pseuds/Winterkissed_Jasmine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ruby and her team have all graduated from Beacon, and they all seem to be having perfect lives, all except Ruby. Blake has become the leader of The White Fang, and fixing the human's harsh views on Faunus, Weiss is working under her sister, and is quickly rising in the ranks, and Yang has been off having adventures with a man named Junior. Ruby, on the other hand, is left alone, stranded with no idea what she's going to do. Her only choice is to do what she's always done: fight the Grimm. Over the years, she's gained the title of Grimm Reaper, and works as a mercenary of sort, traveling across the Kingdoms, hiring out her work. Until someone from her past comes into her present, and drags her back to where it all fell apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note: I am trash, and you may say I'm trash. Enjoy this fanfic that's been in my head ever since I watched RWBY.

The man strolled idly through the dark forests, the white branches of the trees reaching out toward him like fingers of a skeleton, the shadows a gaping maw. However, the man seemed unconcerned, swinging his cane back and forth, a low whistle on his lips. He was wearing a brown trench-coat, a hood drawn over his face, blocking everything out but a peak of bright, silver hair, the rest concealed by the shadows that swung back and forth. 

A slight shift, a flash of red, in the trees made him turn, pausing in the middle of the clearing. A single, red rose petal floated down from the tree tops, and he lifted his hand, catching it between his fingers. It stained his fingers red, the sweet smell of rose wafting in his face. He tilted his face up slightly, lips parting, as if to call something out, when a roar made him turn. He was casual in the movement, as if he were expecting the giant Ursa that rushed into the clearing. It towered over the man, teeth pulled back into a vicious snarl, red eyes gleaming and lightning up the shadows. 

It reared, claws flashing out, aiming for the man, who continued to stand there, unconcerned. The claws were an inch away before a flash of red rushed through the clearing, and the Ursa's arm was detached, falling to the ground with a thump. A woman stood protectively in front of the man, a cape the color of fresh blood rippling behind her. A scythe reached out in the woman's left hand, made of whirling mechanics, gleaming of red and black. It was slightly bigger than it was when the woman was just a girl, but she held it with ease, as if it were nothing but a dandelion. Her hair was slightly longer, still with bright, red tips, and with a wild unkempt look that told the man it wasn't for style, but simply because she had forgotten about it.

His observation was taken in a few seconds, before the girl rushed forward. Her scythe was a weapon of mass destruction, swinging, slicing. She slammed the hilt into the Ursa's stomach, firing off a round that sent it flying to the other side of the clearing. She vanished in a burst of rose petals, only to appear on top of it's large back, bringing it down in smooth, clean precision, as she sliced it's head off. There was a short, moment of silence, before the Ursa's head tipped forward, and slammed into the ground, the body following soon after.

The woman leapt off as it fell, landing delicately in the dirt, already sheathing her scythe in a hilt behind her back. The man's lips quirked up into a smile; some things never changed. And then the woman stormed forward, her silver eyes made of storm and steel, practically snarling like the Ursa did. 

"Are you an idiot?" She demanded, stopping a few feet in front of him, her hands on her hips. "These woods are  _teeming_ with Grimm, you goddamn idiot. You should thank your lucky stars that I was patrolling this area, and that this Ursa was the one I've been tracking for the last couple of days." 

The man smiled slowly, tilting his head up so that she could see part of his face in the moonlight. Her steel eyes narrowed slightly, stepping back warily. "The Grimm Reaper," He murmured, running his thump over the curve of his cane. "The girl made of silver and red, of steel and blood." His words seemed to set her on edge, and her hand edged near her weapon, prepared to leap into battle at the first sign of attack. 

"Well, congratulations, you know my name." Her voice was sharp, snapping, but it seemed to slide straight off him like water, his amused smile never fading. "Who the hell are you?" 

Calmly, he lifted his hands and tugged back his hood, revealing soft, silver hair, and dark, brown eyes. A face that sent a familiar thrill through the woman, even as her hand still tightened on her weapon. "Ruby Rose, I believe we have much to talk about." 

Ruby brushed her wild hair back from her face, and let out a sigh, before turning on her heel and grabbing the snout of the Ursa's head. "Goddamit Ozpin, you always know how to make an entrance, don't you?" He smiled, still pleasant, when she veered back to glare at him. "Fine. Let's talk, come with me." With that, she darted away, leaving nothing but a puff of rose petals, and the sweet smell of flowers. Ozpin laughed, and continued on his leisurely pace, following the path of roses. 

\---

Ruby and Ozpin sat at one of the Bar's tables, after turning in the Ursa head to the buyer. They had bought her services, looking for her to eliminate the deadly Ursa that had been wandering around the town, killing livestock and their owners alike, and breeding more of the sick species. The whole town was offering a hefty amount of money, and Ruby simply couldn't refuse. She had spent the last week tracking the giant Grimm, and even though it was large, could hide like shadow. It only came out at night, so Ruby spent the day getting drunk and sleeping, before going hunting at dusk. She had been on one of her hunt, following the scent from tree to tree, when she saw the figure.

It was a man, hood over his gaze, walking calmly through a forest full of Grimm. She had stared, gaping, before shaking her head slightly and darting away. If he wanted to be stupid, he could be dead and stupid. And then she heard the roar that shook the trees, and she let out a sigh, turned, and sliced off it's paw before it could gut the idiot. 

And of course, the idiot had to be Ozpin, her old Headmaster, coming out to finally take the wild Grimm Reaper in rein. She leaned back, studying him coolly, her gaze hard, ignoring the way her nerves jolted by simply looking at him. He still looked not a day over 26, and, she assumed, he would always look not a day over 26. The server wandered over, and Ruby glanced up, giving her best, winning smile. 

"Hot chocolate." Both her, and Ozpin, said at the same time. They both glanced over at each other quickly, as the woman nodded slightly, taking down their order before leaving. Ruby sat back, slouching slightly in her chair, watching him just as he watched her. Ruby's lip curled up into a slight sneer as she cocked her head at him. 

"You know, a picture will last longer." She snapped, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. Opzin sighed, leaning forward, resting his palms on the table. Everything he did made Ruby want to inch back, away from him, and she shifted slightly, pressing against the back of her chair. 

"Ruby, you've been running around for far too long," His brown eyes burned into hers, and in most cases, she would've glared back just as defiantly, but with him, it was always different. After a moment, she flicked her eyes down toward her nails, as if uninterested in the conversation, when in reality, she just wanted to get away from his intensity. "Ironwood, and the rest of the Kingdoms, are getting worried. Your Uncle misses you," He said, almost as an afterthought.

Ruby almost sagged in relief when the server slapped down the two hot chocolates, giving her time to drink, and think. "I'm not doing anything wrong. You all should be  _thanking_ me. My records are at an all time high, I've been killing Grimm left and right!" She swallowed, realizing her voice was getting louder, and forcefully lowered it. She leaned forward as well, her fists curling across the tabletop, glaring straight back into Ozpin's face. 

"You're putting you're skills to waste!" His eyes glinted slightly, and his voice snapped just as sharply as hers did. If there was anything Ozpiin hated, was putting good skill to waste. 

Ruby snorted, bring her face just as close, her silver eyes flaring with fury. "To waste? I'm helping people! I'm protecting towns, killing the Grimm that are growing stronger by the minute!" After a moment of fierce glaring, Ozpin abruptly leaned back, rubbing his forehead with his hand. Warily, Ruby sat back as well, her hackles still raised. 

"What is this really about, Ozpin?" She raked her fingers through her hair, and watched the man with narrowed eyes. Their was a long moment of silence where they both sipped on their Hot Chocolate, staring at each other, watching as the other made small movements. 

"Your Uncle has asked me to bring you home, back to the Academy." Ozpin met her eyes, and the anger that stormed within. Her lips curled back into a brief snarl, and on a quick urge, Ozpin reached out and covered her hand with his own. The fury melted off swiftly, and her silver eyes softened for a second, before hardening again, and pulled her hand from beneath his own. 

"What would I do?" She said after a moment, her hands cupped around her hot chocolate, staring at the steam rising from the cup. Ozpin felt a surge of victory, knowing that she was considering it. 

"I would give you a job, teaching the new students. I want you to teach how to use their weapons effectively, how to kill a Grimm. You would be doing Team practices, in one on one lessons, so not in a real class setting." He watched her mull that over, churning it in her head, chewing the words over, before her lips twitched into the slightest smile.

"Okay," She whispered, and her hair fell across her face, covering her eyes from Ozpin's view, and effectively her emotions. His fingers twitched, almost as if he wanted to brush her hair away from her face. Instead, he stood, throwing down money, before holding out his hand. Ruby reached up, and curled her fingers around his own, gripping it tightly as she rose. She stepped closer, her breath brushing across Ozpin's cheek.

"I'm not doing this for Qrow, or even you," She murmured, nails digging into his skin. "I'm doing it because the Grimm are growing stronger, and those kids need to be prepared." She released him, and turned, vanishing in a puff of rose petals. Ozpin caught one, closing his fist around it, the velvety softness pressing into his palm, rubbing against his skin, a gentle reminder. 


	2. Chapter 2

Ruby twisted in her bed, silver eyes open wide, and staring at the ceiling above her. The first week at Beacon had been... strange, to the say the least. The other teachers, the one who taught her before, and some who didn't, greeted her with open arms, and warm smiles. The smiles soon faded as they met this Ruby Rose, the one who had been gifted the title of Grimm Reaper, not the bright, happy girl they knew back then. That girl, with round cheeks, and glowing, silver eyes became hard, eyes made of steel, lips curled into a firm line. She radiated power, this Ruby, and the students and teachers seemed wary to go up to her. The only ones who talked to her with the same friendliness was Glynda, Peter, and Bartholomew. Even though they knew of her sins, of her deeds. And of course, Ozpin, but she wasn't quite sure if he truly counted. 

Most of the times, she fell asleep because she was drunk. But Beacon didn't allow alcoholic drinks, and if the wanted something, they had better go to a town where no one knew them as a teacher, lest they taint the precious name and honor of the school. Without the alcohol in her system, the nightmares came back, and when the nightmares came back, it meant no sleep. So Ruby rolled out of bed, slipping her hand under her pillow and grabbing two things: Crescent Rose, and a bottle of vodka. 

Ruby wandered around the school, dodging the security Hunters with ease, as she had done so many times before when she was a student. It didn't seem like Ozpin changed the Guard hours, and when they rotated. Each time she dodged the Guards, she took a swig. Each time she came to a place where she had joked, laughed, or cried, with one of her old teammates, she took a longer swig, letting it burn away her sadness, her tears, leaving her happy and weightless.

She finally made it to the roof of Beacon, and sat on the edge, legs swinging off into empty air as she took swigs of the bottle. She could feel the reminder of her nightmares slowly edge way, and she tilted her head back to enjoy the wind on her cheeks. She inched out further, the only thing keeping her bottom half on the roof was her hands gripping the edge. She exhaled, her eyes half lidded, finally, for once, ready for sleep. 

She teetered back and forth slightly, dreary, her body lazy, when a hand gripped her upper arm and yanked her back so hard she slammed into the person, knocking them both to the ground. She rolled automatically, slamming her forearm into their throat, the other one reaching for her weapon. She pressed her body doing, pinning them against the roof with her legs, before she realized who it was.

"Ozpin?" She croaked, staring down in disbelief, lessening up with her forearm. "What are you doing?" His hands reached up and gripped her arms, her wrists, his touch burning through her clothes. 

"I-You were on the edge of the roof!" His grip tightened, fingertips digging into her skin. "Don't do that. Ever." 

"What? Oh. Oh." Ruby rolled off of him, laying on her back beside him, staring up at the stars and broken moon, and let out a short laugh that sounded broken and hysterical even to her, though maybe it was the vodka that was making her think like that. "No. I would never do that." She stood up, looked down at him, smiled bitterly. "I wouldn't waste talent or skill by doing that." 

She left him alone on the roof, her eyes still burning silver, and the smell of roses clinging to the air.

\---

Ozpin watched Ruby Rose train the student's from his office window, sipping on his hot chocolate. She moved with such ease, such grace, even when he threw her in a position she had no idea what to do with. Even though she was new at teaching, though you would never guess by watching her, she comforted, helped, made the students like her. Not that they didn't admire her before. They had heard tales of the great Ruby Rose, who at the age of 15, became the youngest initiate to Beacon, who took down Roman Torchwick, and soon, they knew her as the Grimm Reaper, who took down Grimm without difficulty.

She fixed a girl's stance, nodded toward another one, before attacking the third. The third, a young boy with cat ears and a tail, managed to block it swiftly, but stumbled back. She scolded him, and attacked again, forcing him to react quickly. They danced, sword and scythe swinging, before he twisted, opening his side. Ruby swiped, and Ozpin felt his breath catch in his throat as she stopped it mere centimeters from cleaving into the student's side. 

Ruby was a better teacher than he thought, which shouldn't have surprised Ozpin as much as it did. She was a great leader with RWBY, but if someone had told Ozpin that Ruby would become a teacher, he would've chuckled and shook his head. But now... all he could do was watch as she spun, and taught, and scolded, and laughed, with her students. When they left, they left with a smile on their faces, talking animatedly between themselves.

Ruby, on the other hand, stood there and watched them silently, and he could see, even from his office. the happiness wash off of her, like she had shed a rain coat. He pressed his mouth into a hard line, and turned away, focusing on his work, rather than the storming girl below. 

\---

Ruby watched the students walk of, her movements becoming heavier as they turned their back. They were good students, forming the group of STRM, and they fought with easy acceptance of each other. There was obvious romance budding between some of them, and it was if Ruby could smell the storm coming. She watched them, sadly, as they walked close together. After a moment, she shook her head, and glanced up. 

She glanced up at the right time to see Ozpin turning away, his silver hair flashing through the slightly tinted windows. Ruby closed her eyes, pressing her lips together harshly, the memory coming unbidden. 

_Ruby was standing on this training field, right after graduation, Crescent Rose cradled in her arms, as tears slipped silently down her cheeks. She had come here early, and it felt like she was leaving too soon. She didn't want to go, she didn't want her team to split up. A sob cracked from her lips, and she fell to her knees, pressing her face against her weapon, her soul. Ruby wasn't ready. She didn't know what she was going to do with life. Blake was already scheming, Weiss had been invited to join her sister, Winter, and during graduation, a large man arrived. Yang had seen him almost immediately, and let out a cry, rushing to his arms._

_It seemed everyone knew what they were doing, except for her. Because she was a child, because she was still young. Because she couldn't do anything right. She clung to her weapon tighter, until the sharp metal sliced into her skin, blood dripping down._

_"Ruby?" The alarmed voice made her turn, and Professor Ozpin peered down at her with alarm. "Shouldn't you be at the Festival?" His eyes focused on her tears and the blood, and he kneeled down in front of her, reaching out to touch her arm gently. "Ruby?"_

_His silver hair reflected the moonlight, gleaming like stars, his eyes made of earth, and glowing with comfort. Ruby stared at him, the small, tiny crush she had on him for the last couple of years stretched to something new, and she bent down, sobbing even harder. After a moment, warmth replaced the briskness, and she was enveloped in Professor's Ozpin's arms, bring her close so she could rest her cheek in the hollow of his shoulder._

_His hand ran down her spine, resting on the small of her back briefly, before going up again, his other arm cupping under Ruby's legs, practically pulling her into his lap. They were in their own personal world, Ruby staring up at him, and him looking down, his brown eyes unguarded for once, and her's gleaming far too bright. She reached up, dazed, running her fingers through his silver hair, and felt his breath catch in his throat._

_She thought back to all the times she had come to his office, when she had nightmares, or fought with one of her teammates, and how he would make her hot chocolate. The crush had started that first time she went there, and only grew. She wondered, sometimes, sitting in his office, watching him work, if he knew. And sometimes she did, and thought that maybe he felt the same. He would brush his hand against her shoulder, or their eyes would meet in the hallway, and both of them seemed to falter. Those times she believed it was all in her imagination, and she didn't act on them, fearing that she would break the stable bridge they were building._

_But now, Ruby believed that maybe she wasn't so wrong. Maybe she wasn't so wrong, because the way his grip tightened on the back of her leg, or how his hand reached up, running along the curve of her cheek... His palm felt warm when it cupped the side of her face, and she turned slightly, pressing into it. When she tilted up, bringing her lips, close, closer, only a centimeter apart, before suddenly it was cold air and the feeling of warmth had vanished._

_Ozpin stood above her, breath coming out harsh, and Ruby thought that this was the first time that she had ever seen Ozpin so... unnerved. The grip on his cane was tight enough that his knuckles were white, his lips parted, face blanched. "Go back to the Festival, Ruby." He said, his voice still shaken slightly, before he turned and strode away. And after that, the threads in her life unraveled._

Ruby exhaled sharply, banishing the thought, the memory, that still caused her lungs to constrict painfully. It was a stupid, idiotic, little girl's crush, but even that being torn away from her threw down the path to her life. She didn't know if it had inadvertently caused it, or was simply the first hole in her life, but it kept growing. It had left something empty in her heart, that Ruby had replaced with blood, money, the heads of Grimm. 

She turned, glancing back up at the window. When she saw no movement, she turned and left, heading to the one friend she had left: lovely, lovely, vodka. And as she stepped out to take another walk, she barely made it past the first guard when a familiar brown-eyed, silver haired asshole met her there.

"Why don't you come to my office?" _Asshole._  


	3. Chapter 3

Ozpin took the bottle of vodka immediately, and set it down on his table, watching as she threw herself across the small love-seat he kept in his office for guests, and the occasional Qrow. She stretched out, arching her back before leaning against the arm-rest, staring at him. She had unclipped her hood at the door, leaving in a messy bundle on the floor, and he let out a sigh before picking it up, and placing it neatly on a hook beside. 

"Ruby-" He was cut off by her snort. 

"I get it, you're firing me," She shrugged slightly, but there was a harsh glint in her steel eyes, her mouth set in a firm line, a mask that told Ozpin how much she had been worrying about this talk. At the silence that followed, she snapped. "Well? Just do it already."

Ozpin pressed his fingers against his temples, before removing his glasses and laying them on the table. When he turned his back, removing the jacket, and turned back around, the bottle of vodka was gone, and Ruby looked entirely too innocent. 

"I'm not here to fire you, Ruby." He slid into the spot beside her, and he watched as she flinched, inching away from him, pressing hard against the arm-rest. "I'm just here to... talk." 

She studied him, her silver eyes glittering like diamonds in the dim light. For a moment, Ozpin thought she would give in, before glancing sharply away, and sneering. "What is this? A therapy session?"

He knew this wasn't going to be easy, to make her trust him again. And part of Ozpin couldn't blame her for her anger, the fury that drove the fire within her. But he also remembered the girl who always had a smile on her face in public, who laughed, who trusted, who looked up at him with adoration, and respect. Some part of him knew that after what had happened, that girl had become harder, made of steel and blood, of twisted passion and strength.

The girl he had known had vanished, had become this woman, a woman, the weak part inside of him had to admit, that was still beautiful. It wasn't a happy, light-filled beauty, anymore. She had grown into her body, with lean muscles, the longer hair giving her a sharper edge. It was a wild beauty, made of storm, hurricanes, of the smell of roses and rain, and while her lightness as a child had made him amused, this new her took his breath away.

Ozpin reached out, and took Ruby's hand, gently taking it into his. He felt her pulse jump, and he ignored the fact that his own did too. "Ruby, just talk to me." She was still staring at his hand, her face pale, before abruptly she yanked it away, standing so swiftly that the bottle of vodka fell from her other hand, landing with a sharp thud on the ground. She rushed out, snatching her hood, and Ozpin sighed, leaning back against the couch.

It seemed the only good thing either of them could do, was run away. 

But the next night, he found her hood on the floor, and the owner curled up on his love-seat, arm tucked under her head, a book in her hand. 

\---

The next few weeks continued like that. Ruby would do her personal classes until dinner, and go up to Ozpin's office, who would always have dinner and a cup of hot chocolate prepared. It became automatic for her to throw her hood off, to curl up on the love-seat, and for him to be there, a small smile on his face, while he finished his work. 

They only talked when Ruby started the conversation, and most of the time she did. At first they were easy chatter, until one of them tipped into the alcohol that Ruby brought each time. This was one of the times.

Ruby was laying on her back, arm strewn across her eyes, listening to the quiet scratching of his pencil across the paper. "What happened to your teammates?" The question jarred her, as she was always the one who talked first. Ruby sat up, her hair falling across her face, and she frowned. She didn't want to answer, but... at the same time she did. She wanted to gush everything that had happened to her, to share her grievances to something that didn't make her drunk out of her mind.

Ruby chewed over her words for a moment, standing and making herself a twisted hot chocolate, staring silently at the dark drink. When she turned, Ozpin had taken her spot, watching her with calm, collected eyes. She exhaled abruptly, and slid into the spot beside him, leaning against the arm-rest and propping her legs on his lap. He took it into stride, hands resting gently on her skin. If she wasn't so drunk already, she would've felt the sparks that jolted up her skin by him just touching her.

He started to rub the muscles in her legs, and she bit back a moan, sliding deeper into the couch. She took a second to gather her thoughts before answering. "We all went out separate ways." Her voice came out barely as a whisper, burning like bile up her throat. "I travelled with Yang for a while, because that's all I knew what to do." Her words came out slightly cracked, and she swallowed. 

_Red like roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest..._

He continued to rub her legs, and when his thumb brushed along the inside of her leg, even her drunken body jerked in surprise. Ozpin paused, but continued when she did. "They all knew what they were going to do. Weiss had been offered a job with Winter, Blake was going to do whatever it took to help the Faunus... and Yang... well she was going to be Yang. I thought we could be Yang and Ruby, but no." 

_White is cold and always yearning, burdened by a royal test..._

_Black the beast descends from the shadows..._

"She found someone, a guy named Junior, who she said made her laugh and cry, who set her on flame and doused her in ice. She said that's what love feels like. And she left." Ruby wrapped her arms around her body, and after a moment, Ozpin removed his hands from her legs and drew her forward, gently wrapping her in a hug.

"Weiss is one of the Lead Commanders to Ironwood's armies, Blake has become the leader of the White Fang, and is striving to change their morals, Yang... Yang is being Yang." She wondered, briefly, when she started to cry, but she did. She clung to Ozpin's comfort, letting it draw her into his warmth. 

_Yellow beauty burns gold..._

"And what am I? A goddamn teacher, at the place where my whole soul was shattered." She muttered bitterly, before pressing her face into his neck, trying not to let her sobs shatter the fragile her body was made of. She wasn't sure when she fell asleep, but she knew it was in his arms, and that the dreams that followed weren't nightmares.


	4. Chapter 4

Ruby gripped Crescent Rose tightly in her hand as the airship jerked into the air. Team RYAL pressed against the wall, watching as the ship tipped dangerously and Ruby didn't move an inch. She was beyond irritated, she was furious. She had specifcally told Ozpin that she didn't want to participate in these stupid trials he put the students through. And yet here she was, chaperoning third years through a mission of a Grimm infested town. They were to eliminate the nest, as the monsters had slaughtered the whole town, leaving few survivors. It was something she could've taken care of by herself, but now she was straddled with children.

She would cut off his head once she saw him again.

"M'am... Miss Rose... Grimm Reaper..." The team leader, a young boy named Rowan, started nervously, unsure on what to call her. "When do we land?"

"We aren't landing." She strode toward the open door, the wind snapping through her hair, tugging sharply on her red hood. 

"Wait, what?!" A girl named Leo yelped, backing away. "You can't really expect us to jump!" Her wide, amber eyes glowed with sudden fear. The girl was a Faunus, her tail flicking nervously behind her.

With a flash of rose petals, Ruby was behind Leo, and in another flash, had shoved her toward the opening. The Faunus whimpered, digging her heels into the ground. "Get going," Ruby barked, and flicked her wrist toward the rest of the team.

After a brief hesitation, Ash and Yew, the twins, jumped out first. Rowan turned toward Leo, holding his arms out, and the Faunus jumped into them immediately. They soon vanished into the sky as well. With a short curse toward Ozpin, she followed, the wind rushing up to meet her. She unsheathed Crescent Moon, and swung around the tree closest, carving large grooves as she spun around, before landing neatly on the forest floor. 

They were a few miles from the town, far enough that no Grimm would see the ship, but close enough that they could walk there without troubles. RYAL pressed together, forming a circle, back to back, already wary. Ruby bit back a sigh, and shouldered her scythe, jerking her head toward the direction they needed to go, and mimicking silence with her fingers.

They moved in silence, with Rowan at the front, and Ash taking the back. Yew and Leo watched the sides, though Ruby noted that every time one of her teammates stepped on a twig, or leaf, she jumped, flinching harshly.  _Why would she become a Hunteress if she's so afraid?_

They arrived to the town just mid afternoon, and Ruby held up her hand, stopping them. The town was completely silent, all for the occasional leaf scraping the ground. But the smell of carrion was on the air, of rotting bodies and dead flesh. Ash and Yew shared a glance, stepping warily closer together as they continued forward. Rowan was putting on a brave face, while Leo looked ready to just about pass out. 

Ruby pressed forward, feet brushing against the floor and- A scream pierced the air, and she whirled, Crescent Rose ready. It was Leo, staring down, horrified at her foot. She had stepped on the meatless bones of a Faunus skull, with large, curling horns peaking out. 

And then the Grimm descended. 

Ruby allowed herself to get lost in the bloodlust, at the same time keeping a wary eye on the team. This was their job, not hers, and she only killed when necessary, when a Grimm saw her, and went for her. She let team RYAL defend themselves, and only stepped in when they absolutely needed her help, like when Ash and Yew got split up, and their backs turned, when a large Grimm came up behind them, roaring. 

The Grimm lost its head, and Ash and Yew never knew that they had almost lost their own. Rowan was fighting valiantly, guns blazing as he leapt from dead body to body, slicing, ripping, tearing into the Grimm. His semblance allowed him to split into another person with inverted colors, and they fought side by side, taking down more than one Grimm. But, what was most impressive, was he did it all while protecting Leo. Both his personas pushed Leo between them, keeping her safe without her ever entering the fray.

Ruby felt her lips frown. Leo didn't even seem to have a weapon, and was cowering there nervously. How in the hell was she keeping up with her team? How in the hell was she still in Beacon? Rowan's two personas left, briefly, but it was enough for a Death-Stalker, hiding in the shadows, to arch up, it's golden stinger slicing through the air toward Leo. The Faunus turned too slow, and saw it descending. Rowan shouted out, fighting his way toward her, and Ash and Yew both turned, crying out as well. 

Leo was abruptly shoved out of the way, and a black and red figure took her place, scythe slashing up, slamming into the Death-Stalkers head, entering through its eye and killing it in one final sweep. But the stinger didn't stop, and Ruby had one thought as it entered her stomach, the poison releasing inside as soon it touched her.  _Well damn._

She fell back, her body suddenly so heavy. The shapes in front of her twisted, shadows becoming people, and for a moment, Yew and Ash looked just like Yang and Weiss, and Leo, standing over her, hands covering her mouth, was Blake. They screamed her name, and Ruby's smile twisted into something bitter.

The shadows and shapes only grew, and she thought this was what death was. Seeing the people who left you alone to die, and she felt her eyes start to close, feeling the lazy smile on her lips. She was aware of her weapon slipping from her fingers and clattering to the ground, and she wanted to frown, wondering why she would release her other part, her soul. If she was going to Death, she wanted to at least try to kill it before anything. 

The last thing she remembered was the airship, lowering itself carefully toward her dying body.

\---

When Ruby woke up, she wondered if a hospital setting was what the other side looked like. If so, they really needed a decoration change, because honestly, Ruby just wasn't really impressed. She shifted slightly, and whimpered at the pain that sent hot flashes through her stomach, up through her chest. Damn. Looks like she wasn't dead, yet. 

"Ruby?" Her head jerked up slightly, surprised to see Ozpin at the hospital doorway. She smiled, if not a bit blearily, and reached out her hand. He hesitated only a second before crossing the room toward her, gripping it tightly in between his own. 

"What happened?" She laced her fingers with his own, the other hand resting on her abdomen. 

"We had an airship circling around your area, as we do with all the other missions, just to be safe. Your team called your injury in immediately, and we got to you as soon as we could..." Ozpin hesitated when Ruby's head fell back against the pillow. 

"Guess I'm not really the Grimm Reaper anymore, yeah?" She let out a short laugh, and after a moment, Ozpin released the breath in his chest with a short laugh, leaning back. 

"You could've died, Ruby." He scolded, and her lips twitched into a smile, remembering the times where he had scolded her as a child when she did something brash. 

"I could've died every day." She raised their entwined hand, and he leaned forward slightly, his thumb running gently across her skin in a feathery touch that sent shivers down her spine. "That doesn't mean I should've let her die." Her mouth pulled into a short frown as she took the fight in. "Ozpin, that child  _can't fight._ Her teammates, they were protecting her! Does she even have a weapon?" 

Ozpin sighed slightly, and looked down at their hands. "Leo can fight quite well... her team is just protective. They don't want her to be put in anymore unnecessary danger." Ruby snorted.

"Please, we both know something else is going on there." She paused, shifted slightly, reached up her hand to touch his cheek gently. There was bags under his eyes that weren't there a few days earlier, stress lining his eyes and mouth. "You've been worrying," She scolded softly, and he tilted his head up, reaching out. For a moment, everything was still, not a breath moving, as the two stared at each other, brown and silver, and she thought that he was tilting forward slightly, when the door slammed open.

They sprung apart like two naughty teenagers caught by a teacher, swiftly pulling their hands apart. There was a slight flush on their cheeks, but the person barging in didn't notice. The person placed their hands on their hips, lilac eyes glinting dangerously.

"Yang?" Ruby sat up even more, and gasped out in pain. Ozpin was by her side in a second, gently easing her up and back into her bed. 

"You idiot! You weren't supposed to get hurt!" Yang strode forward, and pinched Ruby's shoulder. Ruby let out a yelp, and jerked away, pressing slightly against Ozpin. Underneath the harsh words and actions, Ruby could see the underlining distress, the worry that made Yang pull at her long, wild hair. 

"I've missed you too," Ruby murmured softly. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bloop bloop.
> 
> Needed to write something else other than Rosewick, so back to this depressingly sweet story.
> 
> Note: Expect this story to be updated in a less regular time than the Rosewick one, as that one is my priority right now.

Ozpin left Ruby alone with Yang, that silver-haired bastard, and Ruby felt herself staring up at her eldest sister, who scolded her furiously for being hurt. 

"You could've  _died_!" Yang scowled, and Ruby grimaced, wondering desperately if the nurses would run out Yang's loud noises and kick her out.

"Thanks." Ruby said dryly, sitting up straighter. "Couldn't have realized that on my own." 

Yang didn't seem to here the underline of sharpness, and she threw herself to the chair where Ozpin had been sitting previously. 

"What were you thinking, Ruby?" 

Ruby frowned. "You didn't seem too worried about me the past couple of years." The words came out before she could stop it. Yang opened her mouth, then closed it, a flash of HURT on her face as she leaned back, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. 

"Well, you didn't send me a message either," The other woman said hotly. 

Ruby couldn't ignore the rush of fury that met her words. "Communication is a two-way street, Yang," She snarled, her nails digging into the blanket that covered her lap. 

Yang opened her mouth furiously, eyes flashing red, but they were interrupted by a soft knock, and Ozpin stepped in, beside a large, bear-like man who was standing uncomfortably beside Ozpin.

"Mrs. Xiong, I need to speak to Ruby for a moment." Ozpin said politely, and Yang stood, knocking the chair back in her anger. Ruby exhaled, and met Ozpin's dark eyes from across the room, and his mouth curled into a slight smile, drawing her a small one of her own. 

"Hello, Ruby." Junior said politely, before he was yanked out of the room by Yang, leaving a trail of scorch marks where her feet skidded. Ruby didn't answer, and instead slammed her head against the back of her pillow, biting the inside of her cheek. 

She listened to Ozpin's almost silent feet across the tile, and when he rested a palm on her shoulder, she leaned into it, letting out a hard exhale. "Who even told her?" She murmured, and Ozpin tightened his grip. 

"Legally, we had to... As with other family " He paused, and Ruby's eyes snapped open at the harsh silence.   
  
"You didn't!" She hissed sharply, glancing toward the door, as if expecting her father and uncle to burst through. "God, Yang is bad enough, but having Qrow and my dad here?" 

Ruby twisted out of his touch, and threw off her blankets, freezing when she saw the bandages around her abdomen and chest. The gauze was already tinging pink, and pain laced through her sides as she traced her fingers across, letting out a ragged breath. The situation finally dawned on her, how easily she could've been killed, how not even her aura helped her. Sure, it took some brunt as the stinger went through, but it shattered at one blow, and the rest of it sank into her stomach. 

"Ruby," She started at Ozpin's voice, and glanced at him. "Are you okay?" His words were soft, and very suddenly she was fighting back tears, wondering when the last time she saw the easy care in someone's eyes, directed at her. 

"Help me up, I don't want to be here anymore." She whispered, and turned her face away as his arm curled around her back, and tucked under her legs, lifting her gently out of the bed. When he set her down, she swayed dizzily, her fingers gripping his shirt tightly, breath coming out in ragged breaths. 

"This wasn't a good idea," He said immediately, and went to lift her back, but Ruby shoved him away.

"I'll punch you if you try to put me back," Ruby hissed through gritted teeth, and straightened, slowly, one hand curled against the bed, the other digging into her leg as she forced herself to take a few steps.

She could feel her aura slowly patching up her wound, but it wasn't doing much. Ozpin watched silently, his eyes wary and intense, his body tensed as if he was ready to leap forward the moment she slipped. 

Ruby finally snapped under his dark gaze. "God, if you're going to stand here and worry over me while wringing your hands, leave." She growled. "I already have my whole family to do that." When he started to protest, she flicked her wrist.

"Go on, go do some boring Headmaster work before I hit you."

There was a short moment, but his lips twitched into something amused as he turned away and left, and she smiled at his retreating back.

o0o

Ozpin found Goodwitch in the teacher's lounge, worrying over several papers. When he entered, her green eyes flicked up, and a patient smile came on her face. "Professor Ozpin," She said formally, and glanced back down at the papers strewn across the table. Ozpin stepped toward her. 

"What are these?" He asked, leaning over her shoulder to peer at the papers.  

Glynda grimaced. "Warranties and such that Ms.Rose will have to sign once she's better. Legal things and such," The woman twisted herself, and glanced up at him. "How is she by the way?"

Ozpin shrugged slightly, sliding into the chair beside Goodwitch. "As good as any Huntress who got stabbed in the stomach. When I left, she was already standing and swearing." Glynda's mouth twitched into a smirk. Even the blonde Huntress had fond memories of the girl that Ruby used to be, but some part of Ozpin wondered if Glynda knew just how much Ruby had changed, and if Glynda's fondness would be any different.

The thought made him frown, and he glanced down at the papers, anything to cast his mind away from the young Huntress. But Ozpin couldn't help but remember when the plane landed, and she was rushed out. Ruby was sprawled across the stretcher, the blood across her stomach and chest dark and gleaming in the dark shadows. The smell and sight of her made Ozpin want to vomit, and he barely held himself back from rushing to the girl, from lifting her from the stretcher to run her to the hospital himself. He remembered how Crescent Rose was tucked under her arm, and she looked like she was cradling a baby. 

He rubbed a hand across his head, and looked up when he felt a gentle palm across his. Glynda was staring at him with a gentle smile. 

"I understand, it was hard to see her lying there..." She murmured, and squeezed his hand softly. 

If only she knew the actual reason why his insides were twisting, how he felt so very, very sick. It wasn't because the thought of her with her stomach torn open (though it was a part of it), but because of how his own self seemed to shatter when he saw her, and the feelings that he had fought back.

How terrible it was. How sick it was. 

Ozpin for once in his whole life, had no idea what to do.


End file.
